Shuttle motion for looms



May 30, 1939. .1. F. TIMBERLAKE SHUTTLE MOTION FOR LOOMS Filed Dec. 51,1935 4 Sheets-Sheet l y 30, 1939- J. F. TIMBERLAKE 2,160,111

SHUTTLE MOTION FOR LOOMS Filed Dec. 31, 1935 1 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 o 28 "X"0 i o i 6 awe/whom Journey FZ'Mkr/a/ie,

May 30, 1939;

J. F. TIMBERLAK E SHUTTLE MOTION FOR LOOMS 4 .Sheet s-Sheet 3 Filed Dec.31, 1935 QQY'V (Iva/0& Z Winder/vie I III n: I II III I I J. F.TIMBERLAKE SHUTTL May 30, 1939.

E MOTION FOR LOOMS Filed Dec. 51, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I I l PatentedMay 30, 1939 UNITED STAT-ES PATENT OFFICE v SHUTTLE MOTION FOR LOOMSApplication December 31, 1935, Serial No. 57,043

17 Claims. (Cl. 139133) The present invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in shuttle motions for looms and particularly to the novelstructure and combination of parts whereby the same may 'be carried out.

In my Patent No. 2,002,194, issued May 21, 1935, I have disclosed aparticular type of structure used in effecting a positive and easilycontrolled shuttle motion. In that structure weighted pins were disposedso as to be displaceable upwardly against a cam surface on the shuttleso as to reciprocate the shuttle through the shed. While my patentedarrangement possesses many fine advantages, I have found that thatparticular type of structure has the disadvantage of producingconsiderable noise. Also, the weight of the movable pins requires theexpenditure of a considerable amount of power. The present inventionobviates these disadvantages.

I am aware that other types of lay frames have been used and patented inwhich movable pins strike a cam surface to actuate a shuttle; also, thatgeared shuttles have been moved through a shed on a rack; and finally,that shuttles have been forced between warp threads by means of anendless belt.- With respect to the first of these types of structures,it may well be said that the tremendous number of moving parts makes thesame costly and erratic. Moreover, it has been found that the camsurfaces must be greased to prevent great inherent friction. The greaseinvariably finds its way to, and soils, the cloth'.

In using the gear and rack type of shuttle track, it is necessary to runthe warp threads over the rack. The gear teeth and rack teeth press orcrush the warp threads in such a way as to make them rough and to impairtheir tensile strength.

The belt type of shuttle track is impractical. Belts, regardless of thematerial from which they are made, are subject to changes in length.Constant adjustment is required. Furthermore, the warp threads which layupon the belt are not restrained at that point against sidewisemovement. Entanglements result.

The present invention has for an object the correction of all thesedefects. Simplicity of operation and construction have been attained.The number of moving parts has been reduced, and no greasing of thetrack is necessary. Another object of the invention is the provision ofa track which is constantly self-adjusted.

against lateral movement without subjecting the threads to chafing wear.

All of the lay frames not using cam pins known to me are so constructedthat it is possible to use only a single shed in the process of weaving.This is because a continuous track for the shuttle traverses the loom.

As a further object this invention proposes to combine with the lay anovel type of comb, a part of which acts as the track. This object ofthe invention contemplates the use of this novel comb in combinationwith two shuttles moving simultaneously, and further, the use of twosimultaneously moving shuttles for laying two weft threads in a doubleshed.

While the particular type of shuttle movement may be used onsubstantially all types of looms and in combination with various typesof shed forming means, in the appended drawings the novel shuttle trackis shown on a particular type of loom, parts only of which will bedescribed with reference to the drawings. In such description allusionwill be made to the various figures throughout which like referencenumerals indicate like parts and in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a loom with the breast beam brokenaway to show the lay in elevation and Fig. 2 is a side elevation of thesame showing the comb used in single shed weaving, and

Fig. 3 is a rear elevational view of a fragment of the lay and shuttlestructure, and

Fig. 4 is a section along line 4-4 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a topplan view of the portion shown in Fig. 3 showing byarrows the direction of movement of the lay, and

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the lay and comb used in doubleshed weaving, and

Fig. 7 is a rear elevational view of the same along line 1-1 of Fig. 6,and

Figs. 8 and 9 are plan views of the two types of comb elements.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, the lay 2 is shown as supportedmovably on the loom side frames 4 and 6.

The lay consists of an upper cross beam 8 and a lower cross beam l0 heldspaced apart and made into a rigid substantially rectangular frame byuprights l2 and I4. The cross beams 8 and III are greater in length thanthe distance across the loom so that the lay may extend beyond the sideframe of the loom. Motors l6 and I8 are mounted on the under side of thecross beam 10 and are suitably connected to drum reels 20 and 22 whichin turn are supported at the ends of the lay. It will be understoodthatcables upon these drums act indirectly to move the shuttle across thelay.

All of the structure with which the novel shuttle motion is effected iscontained within the lay frame 2. As shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, attachedupon the upper surface of the lower cross beam III is an angle iron 46one of the sides of which is disposed in a vertical plane. Approximatelyone-third of the distance between the lower beam and the top beam arethe angle irons l8 and 50. These angle irons extend horizontally acrossthe lay frame 2 with their ends attached to the uprights I2 and H. Vapart so that a suitable carriage (to be described later) may runbetween them and be guided thereby. Also extending horizontally betweenthe uprights i2 and II, and having its ends attached thereto, is aspiral spring 52. This spring 52 is preferably of any suitable springsteel wire and is attached to the uprights so as to be under tension. Asecond and like spring 54 also is attached at its ends to the uprightsunder tension just below the lower surface of the upper cross beam 8. a

A cam-forming carriage 58 runs in the space between the angle iron 46and the spring 52, while a shuttle carriage runs between spring 52 andthe spring 54. The carriage 56 may be constructed in any suitable waybut preferably consists of two inverted T-shaped frames Ill and 60 andthree grooved wheels 62, 64 and 66. The wheels 62 and 64 are rotatablyarranged on suitable axles which are situated at suitable points in thecap portion of the T-shaped frames but spaced inwardly from the ends ofthe frame so that cables 65 and 61 may be attached to holes near theends of the frames. The third wheel 66 is supported on an axle whichextends between the stem portions of the T-shaped frames in a planeabove the other two axles such that at least a portion of the wheel 66will be disposed above the normal line of the spring 52. The springmember 52 is disposed in the groove of this third wheel 66 and as thecarriage moves the wheel 66 will continually raise the spring member 52to cause the con-- tacted portion of the spring member to form acam-like surface.

The shuttle carriage which runs between the springs 52 and 54, servingastracks, may be of any well known form. A carriage of the type shown inmy previous patent would sumce. However, there is here shown a carriage68 which is slightly more compact since it consists of two substantiallyU-shaped frames Ill and 12, the stems 14 and 16 of which are on an angleand diverge upwardly away from each other. Supported between the frameson suitable axles are grooved wheels ll and I9. The two wheels 18 aresupported on axles at the lower outside corners of the U-shaped frameand the two upper wheels 19 are supported on axles which extend betweenthe frames near the upper ends of the stems 14 and 16.

While the shuttle cop 80 is shown as arranged at one end of the shuttlecarriage, it is understood that it maybe arranged in anyother suitablemanner upon the frame Ill and 12. For instance, the cop may be mountedwithin the frame with the spindle parallel to the frame or verticalthereto. The shuttle carriage 68 is mounted above the cam-formingcarriage 58 with the wheel 66 of the latter situated between the twolower wheels of the former.

These angle irons are spaced With reference to Fig. 1, when it isdesired to move the shuttle from the position in which it is showntoward the right end of the lay, the motor I! will be energized by anysuitable means to drive the drum reel 22. The cable 65 will be woundupon the drum reel and the carriage 58 pulled through the shed. As thecarriage 58 is pulled through the shed a cam surface is formed by theraised portion of the spring 52. By the action of this cam surface uponone of the lower wheels of the shuttle, the shuttle is positively driventhrough the shed and a weft thread is left therein.

A further novel and unexpected result is achieved when the shuttle ismoved across the lay. While the cam surface as at 82 is formed on thespiral spring, the spring track 52 moves slightly about its horizontalaxis. Ordinarily the lower warp threads of the shed will be situatedbetween the spirals of the spring as shown in Fig. 4. However, it iswell known that changing the shed in substantially all types of loomsoften results in that the warp threads are displaced laterally. In mosttypes. of looms this displacement of the warp threads would constitute agreat disadvantage since it would be necessary to place the warp threadsin their proper positions by hand to keep them from being sheared 01!upon passage of the shuttle. The tendency of the spring track 52 to turnabout its longitudinal axis makes such hand work unnecessary in my novelloom.

I have found that this turning motion of the track precedes the passageof the carriage through the shed by about six inches. Any warp threadswhich may have been displaced in changing the shed are automaticallyreplaced because the portion of the spring upon which they are restingis turned out from under them. The warp threads automatically drop downinto the interstices between the various wrappings of the spring. Inthat position they are protected from any frictional wear or crushingbecause the wheels 66 and II are held spaced apart by the spring uponwhich they run. It will be understood that the upper warp threads whichform the shed are situated between the various wrappings of the upperspring 54. These warp threads are thus protected from the wear whichmight otherwise be caused by the upper wheels of the shuttle carriage.

The lay, shuttle tracks, motors and reels are all mounted as a unit insuch a way that they may be moved toward and away from the cloth beingformed. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, substantially tubular tracks 24 and26 are supported upon, and in spaced relation to, the inner faces of theloom frames 4 and S by suitable brackets such as 28 (see Fig. 2). Wheels30 having a grooved surface of such cross section as to fit snugly onthe tracks 24 and 20 are swung from the bottom of beam II and rest uponthe tracks.

It is necessary to guide and support the upper portion of the lay duringthe operation of beating up the weft in order to keep the lay fromtoppling over. In Fig. 2 I have shown a U-shaped steel upright 32, butit is understood that two such uprights may be used, each of which isattached by the legs of the U to the top and bottom cross beams I and IIof the lay, such that the perpendicular portion of the upright is spacedaway from the rear face of the lay. One of such uprights is attached tothe lay 2 at each side in the manner described above in substantiallythe same plane as the loom frames 4 and 6. However, the uprights are ofa width greater than the thickness of the said frames so that the rod 34on the outside of the frame may be pivotally attached thereto by thepivot bracket 38, while the guide rod 38 on the inside of the loom framemay be attached thereto by means of the socket 40. The intermediateportions of the guide rod are slidably supported in a horizontal,substantially cylindrical socket 42 on the inner side of the loom frame.While the rod 38 and the guide socket 42 have been shown on the insideof the loom frame, they may be supported on the outer side but at ahigher level so that they will clear the drive wheel 44.

In combinationawith this novel shuttle movement, this inventioncontemplates the use of a novel comb made up of a plurality of flatsteel reeds shown in detail in Figs. 8 and 9. The former of these is tobe used in single shed weaving, while that shown in Fig. 9 will bedescribed in connection with my double shuttle motion used in doubleshed weaving of filled and other fabrics.

The individual comb elements 84 are long, flat, rectangular bands ofsteel which may be die-cut from a suitable gauge of steel sheet or othermaterial. At the same time, as the elements are cut from the sheet ofsteel, they may be provided with a perforation at each end.

As shown in Fig. 8, brackets 86 and 88 are attached to the top andbottom cross beams of the lay. The brackets are spaced apart and thedistance between them will be controlled by the width of the cloth to beweaved. These brackets extend outwardly from the rear face of the layframe only for such a distance as to allow for clearance of the shuttlecarriages and weft thread in their passage through the shed. Long bolts90 and 92 extend through, and are supported by, the brackets 86 and 88.The bolts in turn hold and support the individual comb elements 84 whichare arranged in a vertical position and with the bolts extending throughthe perforations. Suitable spacers, preferably steel washers or the likeare arranged between the comb elements so that the warp threads may movefreely up and down between the elements when the shed is changed.

The operation of the lay in beating up the weft will be clearlyunderstood by those versed in the art. Briefly, the movement is asfollows: After the shuttle has made a passage through the shed leavingbehind a weft thread, the shuttle remains stationary at the end of thelay frame as shown in Fig. 1. Drive wheel 44 which is driven by anysuitable prime mover revolves in the direction shown by the arrow inFig. 2, and rod 34, (of which there may be two, one on each side of theloom) will force the lay frame toward the cloth beam upon tracks 24 and26. The guide rods 38 serve to make the movement smooth and straight,while they prevent the lay frame from toppling over. After a shortforward movement the front edges of the comb elements 84 engage the weftthread and the continued movement will carry the weft thread toward thecloth. The lay is then returned, a new shed is formed, and the operationbegins again.

The double shuttle arrangement shown in Fig. 6 and Fig. 7, is a furtherdevelopment of my invention. In this embodiment two shuttles and. twocam-forming carriages are used. There are 5 horizontal guide tracksextending between the uprights. The outermost guide tracks consist ofangle irons 4B and 46" one of which is attached to the upper surface ofthe lower lay beam 8'. Spaced inwardly from these guide tracks, twohelical spring tracks 52 and 52" of the type previously described, arestretched. Each of these spring guide tracks is "flanked on each side byhorizontal angle irons which prevent lateral movement of the carriages.That is to say, these angle irons prevent the carriages from fallingover sidewise. The fifth track is composed of a plurality ofsubstantially circular projections 96 on the comb elements which arearranged across the lay and slightly spaced away from each other. Theupper peripheries of the projections form a track for an invertedshuttle and the lower peripheries form a track for the lower shuttle.

The five tracks limit 4 paths of movement 98, I00, I02 and I04 all inthe same vertical plane. The lowermost path of movement 98 and theuppermost path of movement I04 are each limited. on their outer sides bythe single angle iron guide rail and on their inner sides by thehorizontal springs. In the lowermost path of movement a cam-formingcarriage 58 is placed with the two grooved wheels lowermost and thesingle wheel uppermost. Thus the two grooved wheels ride on the angleiron and the single wheel is in contact with the lower spring 52'. Thetop path of movement is occupied by another but inverted cam-formingcarriage 58 as clearly shown.

The two inner paths of movement are divided at their center by the trackformed by the projections 96 on the comb elements. They are separatedfrom the uppermost and lowermost paths of movement by the springstracks. Two shuttle carriages are mounted for movement in these innerpaths of movement. The upper of the two shuttle carriages is inverted.

Each of the shuttle carriages has two grooved wheels on the springtracks. The remaining two wheels ride upon and are guided by theperipheries of the projections 96 on the comb elements. It will beunderstood that the shuttle wheels riding on the spring tracks straddlethe cam-forming wheel on the cam carriage, and that the latter is drawnthrough the shed as described above in connection with the first form ofthe invention. It will be further understood by those skilled in the artthat the two shuttles may be moved through the shed in the samedirection simultaneously or in sequence, or that they may be moved inopposite directions.

Referring now to Fig. 9, the elements 94 are the comb element may bedescribed as a depressed equilateral triangle with a small circle at itsapex. That is, the rear edge of the element is a straight line and maybe described as the base of the triangle. The sides of the element arebowed inwardly and are thus curved from the apex toward the upper andlower ends of the comb so that clearance is afforded for passage of theshuttles. A circular projecting portion 96 integral with the combelement is arranged at the apex. The distance from the center of thiscircular projecting portion to the rear edge is such that the formerwill lie in the same vertical plane as the spring tracks when the combis assembled on the lay.

The three levels of warp threads which are to be used are shown in Fig.7. The upper and lower threads are oblique and form a shed in a wellknown manner, while the third thread extends in a horizontal line fromthe cloth beam through the lay, between the comb elements, to theharness which controls the said thread. A single passage of the shuttlesthrough theshed will lay therein two weft threads or a single weftthread and a flller thread as desired. The upper of these two will falldownwardly until it rests upon the horizontal warp threads. The lower ofthe two will be supported at some point on the lower oblique warpthreads.

A slight change has been made in the path or movement which the layfollows in beating up these wept threads. The cylindrical tracks 24 and26 and the guide rods 38 have been described heretofore as beinghorizontally supported on the loom frame. when using the double shuttlemovementI have found-it advantageous to arrange the said lay tracks andthe guide frames on the loom frame at an angle oblique to the floor, theend towards the finished cloth being higher. As the lay moves forward onthe inclined track to beat up the weft, the lay frame and the combelements connected thereto will be raised relative to the level of theupper weft thread. The projection 96 will thus pass above the upper weftthread and both weft threads will be packed into the finished cloth bythe lower portion of the comb edge.

While I have shown and described the preferred forms of my invention, itwill be understood that I do not limit myself thereby.

What I claim is:

l. A shuttle motion for looms comprising, a comb, a pair of shuttles, atrack projecting from said comb between said shuttles, a pair offlexible tracks at the sides of said shuttles opposite said first trackand means for displacing said flexible tracks intermediately of eachshuttle progressively in the direction of their longitudinal axeswhereby the shuttles are moved progressively.

2. A shuttle motion for looms comprising, a comb, a pair of shuttles, atrack provided with interstices for warp threads projecting from saidcomb between said shuttles, a pair of flexible tracks at the sides ofsaid shuttles and means for displacing said flexible tracksintermediately of each shuttle progressively in the direction of theirlongitudinal axes whereby the shuttles are moved progressively.

3. A shuttle motion for looms comprising a comb, a pair of shuttles, atrack projecting from the comb between the shuttles, a pair of flexibletracks at the sides of the shuttles opposite the first track, said firsttrack being provided with interstices and said flexible tracks beingprovided with gaps for warp threads and means for displacing saidflexible tracks intermediately of each shuttle' progressively in thedirection of their longitudinal axes whereby the shuttles moveprogressively.

4. A shuttle motion for looms comprising, a comb, a pair of shuttlestrack projecting from said comb between said shuttles, a pair offlexible tracks at the sides of said shuttles opposite said first trackand means for simultaneously displacing said flexible tracksintermediately of said shuttle progressively in the direction of thelongitudinal axis of said track and causing partial rotation of saidflexible members progressively in front of said shuttles whereby saidshuttles are moved and warp threads are positioned progressively.

'5. A shuttle motion for looms comprising a shuttle carriage, flexiblemeans provided with gaps for guiding all of the threads of .the lowerset of warp threads at all times during movement of the shuttlecarriage, and rigid means for sup- Porting said flexible means againstdownward movement, and means for causing successive portions oi saidflexible means to exert a cam action on said shuttle carriage to actuatethe same.

6. A shuttle motion for looms comprising a shuttle carriage, a coilspring in the interstices or which all of the threads of a set of warpthreads are disposed during movement of the shuttle carriage, rigidmeans for supporting said coil spring against downward movement,- andmeans for causing successive portions of said flexible means to exert acam action on said shuttle carriage to actuate the same, said flexiblemeans also constituting a guide for the shuttle carriage.

7. A shuttle motion for looms comprising a shuttle carriage, flexiblemeans provided with gaps for continuously guiding warp threads duringmovement of the shuttle carriage, a support for said flexible means,said support comprising a a pair 01 spaced members running the length ofsaid flexible means, the space between the members being less than thecross sectional diameter of the flexible means, and means for causingsuccessive portions of said flexible means to exert a cam action on saidshuttle carriage to actuate the same.

8. A shuttle motion forlooms comprising a shuttle carriage, flexiblemeans constituting a guide for the shuttle carriage and provided withgaps for continuously guiding a set of warp threads during movement ofthe shuttle carriage, a support for said flexible means, said supportcomprising means running substantially the length of said flexible meansand supporting the latter only on two parallel lines spaced from thevertical center of said flexible means and so as to leave the upperportion of said flexible means free to guide the shuttle carriage andthe set of warp.

successive portions of said flexible means to exert a cam action on saidshuttle carriage to actuate the same.

10. A shuttle motion for looms comprising, a shuttle carriage, flexible'means provided with gaps for continuously guiding warp threads duringmovement of the shuttle carriage, means for supporting said flexiblemeans with a portion throughout its length permanently above the planeof the set of warp threads, and means for causing successive portions ofsaid flexible means to exert a cam action on said shuttle carriage toactuate the same, said flexible means formingone track for said shuttlecarriage.

11. A shuttle motion for looms comprising, a shuttle carriage, acam-forming carriage, and flexible means between said shuttle carriageand said cam-forming carriage for continuously holding a set of warpthreads in position during move- 'ment of the shuttle carriage and fortransmitting motion of the cam carriage to the shuttle carriage, andmeans for supporting said flexible means with a portion throughout itslength permanently above the plane of the set of warp threads.

12. A shuttle motion for looms comprising,

flexible means provided with gaps each of which is adapted to receive athread of a set of warp threads, at least one shuttle carriage adaptedto be guided in its passage by said flexible means, means for causingsuccessive portions of said flexible means to exert a cam action on saidshuttle carriage to actuate the same, and means for supporting saidflexible means in a position in which all of the threads of a set ofwarp threads are disposed in gaps in said flexible means, whereby eachwarp thread of the set is maintained in proper position during theentire period of the passage of the shuttle carriage in one direction.

13. A shuttle motion for looms comprising, a shuttle, a flexible trackabove and a flexible track below the shuttle, said tracks being providedwith gaps for continuously guiding warp threads during movement of theshuttle, means for displacing one of said tracks intermediately of saidshuttle progressively in the direction of the longitudinal axis of saidtrack whereby the shuttle is moved progressively, and means forsupportin said flexible tracks against outward movement in a planecontaining the longitudinal axes of said tracks.

14. A shuttle motion for looms comprising, at least one shuttlecarriage, flexible means provided with gaps for continuously guidingwarp threads during movement of a shuttle carriage, means for supportingsaid flexible means with a portion throughout its length permanentlyextending above the plane of the warp threads, and means forsimultaneously causing successive portions of said flexible means toexert a cam action on said shuttle carriage and to cause partialrotation of said flexible means in front of said shuttle whereby saidshuttle is actuated and warp threads are kept in proper position.

15. A shuttle motion for looms comprising, a

shuttle carriage, flexible means provided with gaps for continuouslyguiding the warp threads during movement of the shuttle carriage, rigidmeans for supporting said flexible means, means for causing successiveportions of said flexible means to exert a cam action on said shuttlecarriage to actuate the same, a heddle for the warp threads, and meansfor moving the heddle a sufficient distance to bring the warp threadsinto the gaps of said flexible means when the latter is in its normalposition.

16. A shuttle motion for looms comprising a shuttle carriage, flexiblemeans provided with gaps for continuously guiding a set of warp threadsduring movement of the shuttle carriage, said flexible means beingarranged substantially on the same level as the set of warp threads tobe guided, means for supporting said flexible means with a portionthroughout its length permanently extending above the plane of said setof warp threads so as to constitute a guide for said shuttle carriage,and means for causing successive portions of said flexible means toexert a cam action on said shuttle carriage to actuate the same.

17. A shuttle motion for looms comprising a shuttle carriage, flexiblemeans provided with gaps for continuously guiding a set of warp threadsduring movement of the shuttle carriage, said flexible means extendingsubstantially across the loom in the direction of the shuttle carriagepath, means for supporting said flexible means with at least a portionthroughout its length permanently extending above one of the planes ofthe set of warp threads, and means for causing successive portions ofsaid flexible means to exert a cam action on said shuttle carriage toactuate the same.

JOURNEY F. TIMBERLAKE.

